socialist feminism

philosophy

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July 19, 2026

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Socialist feminism is a branch of philosophical feminism that emerged during the women's movement of the 1960s and 1970s. It critiques traditional Marxist theories for overemphasizing waged labor outside the home. Socialist feminists argue that unpaid domestic work and caregiving are essential forms of labor and that the unequal division of domestic tasks between genders is exploitative.1

This perspective also highlights the burden of the "double day" for women who work outside the home and manage household responsibilities, as well as the economic dependency of stay-at-home mothers. Socialist feminism, therefore, advocates for addressing these issues as political concerns, emphasizing that the personal is political.1

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philosophical feminism
Feminist social and political philosophy
…to address women’s concerns, the socialist feminists Alison Jaggar and Iris Marion Young appropriated Marxist categories, which were based on labour and economic structures. Criticizing traditional Marxism for exaggerating the importance of waged labour outside the home, socialist feminists insisted that the unpaid caregiving and homemaking that women are expected…
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…to address women’s concerns, the socialist feminists Alison Jaggar and Iris Marion Young appropriated Marxist categories, which were based on labour and economic structures. Criticizing traditional Marxism for exaggerating the importance of waged labour outside the home, socialist feminists insisted that the unpaid caregiving and homemaking that women are expected…
Read More